HOUSE BILL REPORT
ESSB 5693
As Passed House - Amended:
February 26, 2022
Title: An act relating to fiscal matters.
Brief Description: Making 2021-2023 fiscal biennium supplemental operating appropriations.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Rolfes, Wilson, L. and Nguyen; by request of Office of Financial Management).
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
None.
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 2/26/22, 56-37.
Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill
(As Amended by House)
  • Makes supplemental changes to operating budget appropriations for the 2021-23 biennium.
Staff: Charlie Gavigan (786-7340).
Background:

The state government operates on a fiscal biennium that begins on July 1 of each odd-numbered year.  A two-year biennial operating budget is adopted every odd-numbered year.  Supplemental budgets frequently are enacted in each of the following two years after adoption of the biennial budget.  Appropriations are made in the biennial and supplemental budgets for the operation of state government and its various agencies and institutions, including higher education, as well as allocations for the funding of kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) public schools.

The 2021-23 biennial operating budget appropriates $59.0 billion from the Near General Fund-Outlook accounts (General Fund-State and the Education Legacy Trust Account, the Opportunity Pathways Account, and the Workforce Education Investment Account).  The total budgeted amount, which includes state, federal, and other funds, is $121.6 billion.
Summary of Amended Bill:

Near General Fund-Outlook (NGF-O) enacted appropriations for the 2021-23 biennium are increased by a net of $6.3 billion; the enacted total budget for the 2021-23 biennium is increased by a net of $9.3 billion.  The larger net NGF-O increases are in Special Appropriations to the Governor for a variety of items ($4.3 billion), the Health Care Authority ($307 million), the Department of Commerce ($518 million), the Department of Social and Health Services ($399 million), the Department of Health ($366 million), and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families ($189 million).  The larger net total budgeted increases, excluding Special Appropriations to the Governor since those are nearly all NGF-O, are in the Health Care Authority ($1.3 billion), the Department of Social and Health Services ($1.3 billion), and the Department of Commerce ($1.1 billion).

 

Other changes to the original 2021-23 Biennial Operating Budget are also made.
See http://fiscal.wa.gov/default.aspx for additional information.
Appropriation: The bill contains multiple appropriations. Please refer to the bill and supporting documents.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.